Kyonios
The Kyonian Empire was the first great human nation to rise from the chaos that sprawled after the Othrumnok Empire's fall. They were vastly influential in the early days of the Black Age, for long being the strongest human power in Oseros. Although they were defeated and shattered by the Kingdom of Montevont during the , their influence is still seen today, particularly in eastern Oseros. History Founding The Kyonian people were a ethnicity which was concentrated in eastern Albenos, and were devout followers of Diphorian Triune. This put them in direct opposition to the Anchorite Triune, which was largely popular among the modernizing barbarian tribes. The Kyonian Empire would begin expanding it's territories by it's powerful naval force, conquering the coastal cities of Albenos. The wealth that came in from these successful campaigns greatly boosted the power of Kyonios. The Empire would eventually grow to a large and powerful nation that held territory all over the Great Tomb Sea. They would later stage a successful conquest of Thrames, after securing dominion of Albenos, and afterwards even establish states in Qamin. Tension between the Kyonian Empire and their Diphorian Triune and the Anchorite Triune would often engage in wars against each other. The aggressor would often be the Anchorite Triune. At the peak of it's power, the Kyonians had conquered a large portion of Renia, forcing the Viconsul to temporarily relocate. Renia would eventually be recaptured, although various cities would remain under Kyonian rule and switch between Anchorite and Diphorian leadership. Fall of Kyonios In , the Triune called for the Grand Crusade on the Kyonians after their seizure of cities along the coasts of Mandura and Renia. The Crusade was also charged by the built up of pent up tension, and this was merely the tipping point. The Crusades initial attacks were lead by the vanguard, the Valorous Host, who attempted to capture the city of Morinium in a night naval landing. However, the attack was a catastrophe, and thousands of crusaders were killed. It was an embarrassment for the Anchorite Triune. In retaliation, already having an army stationed in Thrames, Kyonios attacked and captured the holy city of Akhtos. The Vicarant was captured in the far outskirts of the city while he was attempting to escape. The Viconsul found refuge in the land of the Kingdom of Montevont, where they called for the nations in the time of great crisis. Few nations heeded the call, however, in fear that such a war would lead to widespread devastation. The Kyonians had long been the undisputed most powerful nation, even though they had been in decline for centuries at this point. One budding nation would answer the call, however, the Kingdom of Montevont, who's recent conquests had made them rich, powerful, and confident. The Kyonians had underestimated the combined arms tactics of Montevont, and had instead focused more on insurrection in Qamin and Renia. As a result, more troops had been stationed in the southern parts of Oseros. As a result, the Kingdom of Montevont would begin to win initial victories against the Kyonians. Seeing that prospects were high, this attracted other nations, who desired the great plunders the rich cities of Kyonios would rack in. The Crusade would continue as other nations such as Welscond and the Summer Kingdoms. Victory would come to the Crusading forces after nearly fourteen years of war that consumed the majority of Oseros. For their bravery, the Kingdom of Montevont was awarded territories they had captured in Albenos. This vastly increased their wealth, and was the beginnings of the Shining Empire. The Kyonian Empire would continue to rule from their lands in Qamin for another century, although eventually Thrames too began to fracture from the empire and split into various states across the islands. Eventually, the Kyonian empire would simply dissolve as the remaining territories were conquered by other forces, or seceded and formed their own states. People and Culture The Kyonian Empire was a great source of cultural diffusion, bringing together diverse peoples from all over the Great Tomb Sea, and then funneling these ideas into Oseros through trade and conquest. The Kyonian Empire, although in direct conflict with many of the Anchorite Triune nations, played a large part in modernizing them from tribes to kingdoms. The main culture of the Empire were the Kyonosi, a people that inhabited, and still do today, eastern Albenos. They ruled over many other peoples, including the Thramians, eastern Albenitians, Qamians, and various other coastal peoples. The Kyonian Empire saw themselves as the successors to the original Maphoset Empire, and believed they continued their line rule as well as upheld their position as pioneers of triunism. Government The Kyonosi were ruled by a single Emperor which was hereditary. He served as both the religious and political leader of the empire. Being there was no official church such as the Anchorite Triune, the Emperor served a similar role in unifying the Diphorian Triunists as the Anchorite Vicarant did. The administration and military of Kyonios were heavily intertwined. The lands of the Kyonios were divided into districts known as Danochs. These districts were ruled by governors who served as both military leaders of the particular Danoch as well as civil and judicial leaders. These governors were required to be very versatile and had a plethora of advisers working with them who were more skilled in specific specializations. Military The soldiers under command of the governor of the Dachos would be given plots of lands to farm on. However, they would not be paid while under farm-duty, but they would have drastically reduced taxes and would be allowed to keep the land under their ownership for their family and all following generations, as long as their descendants served in the military in times of war. This system drastically reduced the need for conscription and levies and produced a steadier source of better trained soldiers cheaply. It also allowed the Kyonosi to settle conquered territories quickly. The Kyonosi military was much more professional than any other nation in Oseros at the time, who mostly relied on a fuedal levy and armiger system. The Kyonosi did not use armigers, although they did conscript levies, however much more sparingly than the other Oseran nations. Academies for training soldiers were established for maintaining the skill of the standing army. The soldiers of the empire were expected to be skilled in both land and naval combat. They were trained in how to operate on a ship, as well as in formation on land. This allowed soldiers to quickly man boats and then land for combat, making the Kyonian military quite versatile. The Kyonosi were very organized in the field of battle, and had rigid and effective means of communication in battle. This combined arms made the Kyonosi army much more versatile. The Kyonosi military was infamous for the notorious Masked Immortals, an army of elite masked Orjuk orcish warriors that directly answered to the emperor. They arrived from the Blightwoods, and pledged themselves to the Kyonosian Emperors after they were freed from slavery by the Kyonosi from their former Qamian masters. They were a feared force that won many battles on their own against armies multitudes greater in size. The Masked Immortals were also significant as they were devout followers of the Diphorian Triune, despite being of Orjuk descent. The order was maintained by streams of eager orcish recruits, who heard of the Immortals' conquests, and traveled far and wide in order to enlist. Those who survived such a journey would be deemed worthy of trial. Lands Kyonios had lands scattered all around the coasts of the Great Tomb Sea. Their largest concentrations of territory were in Qamin, Thrames, and Albenos. For much of their history they controlled the entire Albenitian peninsula. The capital city of the empire, Tyrmeseus, was located in Albenos. It was a sprawling stone metropolis situated on the Rusone river delta, a pivotal trade point between the river, the Gull Sea, and the Great Tomb Sea. Today, Tyrmeseus is a duchy under the Shining Empire. The Kyonian Empire was also instrumental in rebuilding the city of Maphosettis, the ancient capital of the Maphoset Empire, and making it into a center of learning and culture once again. Today, the city is still a bustling triune center since Kyonian reconstruction, with a unique blend of various triune sects which live in harmony, in contrast to the chaos in Renia. Points of Interest Tyrmeseus The former capital of Kyonios, it was also known as the "Stone City." The majority of the city is composed of towering stone architectures which cascade into the ocean and form port. It is a magnificent exemplar of the Kyonian's architecture. Today it is the center of the Kyonosi Archduchy, a vassal state of the Shining Empire. Category:Nations